A typical traction arrangement employing a leg splint such as a Thomas or other similar type of splint is shown in FIG. 1. These splints generally consist of an elongated U-shaped portion to which traction cords are secured, attached to a thigh support ring on which a patient's thigh rests. The splint and thigh ring are most often formed of a metallic or rigid plastic material capable of causing irritation of the patient's skin upon prolonged contact or other injury due to prolonged pressure to the surrounding thigh tissue. Since the size of the splint employed in a given traction arrangement is usually based on the length and not width of the leg, these problems are prevalent in cases involving obese or other large patients whose thigh may fit fairly tightly within the support ring.
Various pad means have thus been employed to protect a patient's thigh from such contact. One of the most common ways orthopedic personnel pad a thigh ring is by wrapping it with a soft absorbent material prior to placing it under the patient's thigh. However, upon soiling such wrapping can be difficult to remove and replace without disturbing or disassembling the traction arrangement. Since it is imperative that such disturbance be minimized, orthopedic personnel often place absorbent towels between the wrapped ring and the patient's thigh, removing and replacing the towels when soiled. This method, however, is inadequate in that any soiling of the original wrap still remains, and the wrap and towels may not sufficiently pad the ring or may bunch or unevenly pad the ring, leading to points of uneven pressure. While there have been pads manufactured especially for these rings, the pads employed to date have often been inadequate in size or design to cover and pad the entire ring, leading to some skin contact or pressure points. These pads have also been difficult to remove for laundering or replacement while in use, causing unwanted disturbance in the traction set-up.
There is, therefore, a need for a splint pad which covers and pads the entire thigh support ring to reduce patient skin contact with the device as well as points of uneven pressure. Also, it is desirable that such a pad be readily removable in order to minimize disturbance to the traction set-up, especially important in cases of skeletal traction wherein traction forces are directly applied to a pin placed through the fractured bone. Finally, a pad being totally removable from the support ring for disposal or cleaning upon soiling is critical to maintaining sanitary conditions.